Discoveries

June 20, 2023

Free To Be Me

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The early months of the coronavirus pandemic saw people huddled in their homes as city streets emptied.

That was a boon to wildlife and that period saw many animals roaming around freely in cities and suburban or small-town neighborhoods, including pumas, reindeer, and sea lions.

It was also helpful for scientists who recently released a study about how animal movements changed and adapted during the lockdowns, NPR reported.

Researchers studied the movements of more than 2,000 animals from 43 mammalian species that were being tracked with GPS devices around the globe.

Their findings showed that many creatures traveled 73 percent further during the first Covid-19 lockdowns than they did during the same period the year before. The lack of traffic and humans also allowed for a 36 percent increase in mammals approaching roadways.

Lead author Marine Tucker explained that the study provides new insights into how everyday human behavior can impact the lives of wild animal populations. But it also shows how quickly mammals adapt to sudden changes.

“This was quite sort of exciting to see,” she said, “because it shows that animals still have the capacity to change their behavior in response to us changing our behavior.”

Biologist Colleen Cassady St. Clair, who was not involved in the study but wrote a commentary on it, added that the paper could help develop strategies for the management of wildlife and protected areas.

“Changes in road traffic can profoundly affect other species and their use of landscapes,” said St. Clair.

This story originally appeared in the June 20, 2023 newsletter, End Game.